The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-01-13

rendered., because l understand he StI
alludes to the time when he met Gen
eral Sherman last as the time when h
"determined to abandon any furthe
prosecution of the struggle-"whel
Lee surrendered, | say, and Johnston
quit, the South became, and has sine
been, loyal to this union. We Tough
hard enough to know that we wer,
whipped, and in perfect frankness &C
Cepted as final the arbitrament of tht
sword to which we had appealed. The
South found her jewel in the toad:
head of defeat. The shackles that had
held her in narrow limitations fell for
ever when the shackles of the negro
slave were broken. [Applause.l I'm
der the old regime the negroes were
slaves to the South, the South was a
slave to the system. The old planta-
ton, with its simple police regulation
and its feudal habit was the only type
possible under slavery. Thus was
gathered in the hands of a splendid
and chivalric oligarchy the substance
that should have been diffuscd among
the people, as the rich blood, under
certain artificial conditions, is gathered
at the heart, filling that with aflluent
rapture but leaving the body chill and
colorlcss. [Applause.]
The old South rested everything on
slavery and agriculture, unconscious
that these could neither give nor MAIN
tain healthy growth. The new South
presents a perfect democracy, the
oligarchy leading in the popular move
ment-a social system compact and
closely knitted, less splendid on the
surface but stronger at the core--a
hundred farms for every plantation,
fifty homes for every palace-and
diversified industry that meets the
complex needs of this complex age.
The new South is enamored of her
new work. Her soul is stirred with
the breath of new life. The light of
grander day is falling fair On her
face. She is thrilling with the con-
sciousness of growing power and pros
perity. AS she stands upright, full
statured and equal emong the people
of the earth, breathing the keen air and
looking out upon the expanding horizon
she understands that her emancipation
came because in the insCru1able wisdom
of Coo her honest purpose was crossed
and her brave armies were beaten.
[Applause.]
This is said in no spirit of time
serving or apology. The South has
nothing for which to apologize. She
believes that the late struggle between
the States was war and not rebellion,
revolution and not conspiracy, and
that her convictions were as honest as
yours. l should be unjust to the daunt-
less Spirit of the South and to my own
convictions if | did not make this plain
in this presence. The South has moth
ing to take back. In my native town
of Athens is monument that crowns
its central hills-a plain, white shaft.
Deep cut into its shining side is a name
dear to me above the names of men,
that of brave and simple man who
died in brave and simple faith. Not
for all the glories of New England,
from Plymouth Rock all the way,
would | exchange the heritage he left
me in his soldier death. 10 the foot
of that shaft | shall send my children's S
children to reverence him who en-
nobled their name with his heroic
blood. But, sir, speaking from the
shadow of that memory, which honor
as do nothing else on earth, | say
that the cause in which he suffered and
for which he gave his life was adjudgcd
by higher and fuller wisdom than his
or mine, and | am glad that the omni-
sciens God held the balance of battle
in His Almighty hand and that human
slavery was swept forever from Ameri-
can soil, the American Union saved
from the wreck of war. Loud ap-
plause.]
This message, Mr.. President, comes
to you from consecrated ground.
Every foot of the soil about the city in
which ! live is as sacred as a battle
ground of the republic. Every hill that
invests it is hallowed to you by the
blood of your brothers who died for
your victory, and doubly hallowed to
US by the blow of those who died hope
less, but undaunted, in defeat-sacred
soil to all of us-rich with memories
that make US purer and stronger and
better-silent but staunch witnesses in
its red desolation of the matchless valoI
of American armsspeaking as an elo-
quent witness in its white peace and
prosperity to the indissoluble union oI
American States and the imperishable
brotherhood Of the American people
Immense cheering.l
WHAT ANSWER HAS NEW ENGLAND TO
THIsl
Now, what answer has New England
to this message1 VIII she permit ths
prejudice of war to remain in the heart
of the conquerors, when it has died il
the hearts of the conquered 1Crie
of " No! Not VIII she transmit thi
prejudice to the next generation tha
in their hearts which never felt tn
generous odor or conflict it may per
1